Craig Robinson Doesn't Waste His Time Thinking About Failure

From Pineapple Express to Hot Tub Time Machine to The Office, Craig Robinson has spent a decade making it clear that if you need a down and dirty laugh, he's got you. Which makes his latest film, Morris from America, all the more surprising. Arguably the best coming of age film since The Perks of Being a Wallflower, the film tells the story of a recently widowed and clearly exhausted football coach trying to raise his rambunctious, hip-hop obsessed teenage son in their new home of Heidelberg, Germany, where they don't know anyone and they never see any other people of color. Though he scores plenty of exasperated laughs, his usual deadpan demeanor is swapped out here for a loneliness and vulnerability that Robinson expertly transmits with the tiniest of gestures.

Not only is it the most dramatic work he's done yet, it's the rare leading role for him, and his first major work since the cancellation of his sitcom Mr. Robinson, which was endlessly retooled by NBC before being quickly disposed of last year. But true to form, Robinson has continued to work tirelessly; this summer alone he's also already appeared on Mr. Robot and Seth Rogen's animated raunch-fest Sausage Party. He'll soon follow these up with the Duplass Brothers' Table 19 and an upcoming car-karaoke challenge TV series for Spike TV. ("I guess these guys had this idea even before Corden came out with his karaoke stuff, so it's kind of weird.")

Given this schedule, it's not too surprising that Robinson was exhausted when we met up with him in his publicist's office, yawning and then apologizing several times for not getting enough sleep the night before. As always, he's just been too busy to take a break.

It seems like every year there's a comedic actor in a dramatic role—we had Bill Hader and Kristen Wiig in The Skeleton Twins in 2014 and Jason Segel in The End of the Tour last year and now we have you, and there's always an undercurrent in the press of "the funny person can really act." Is that something you take as a compliment, or do you just brush it off?

I do see it as a compliment. The thing is... it's indicative of the society we live in. You get used to something. I see it as a welcome surprise. Not that I was doubting it, but it's been so long since I had something like this. I had a part in Get On Up, and early on, I think my first movie was a dramatic role with some comedic tendencies. But I think seeing me like this, and so much of me in this movie, I think it warrants it. It's fair. [Whispers] Because I don't think all comedians do act.

How did you get involved with the project?

My agent brought it to me. I was told [director] Chad Hartigan was interested because he heard from David Gordon Green, who I worked with in Pineapple Express, and I guess I got the okay from David. "Yeah, Robinson can do it." So I read it. I was little challenged by it. There were a lot of layers to the character, so I met up with Chad, and we hashed it out, and I liked his style.

Tell me about that final monologue that ends the movie, where you talk about going to Europe to see your wife. When you're in a scene like that, is it hard not to get nervous, knowing that this is what the entire movie hinges on?

[Laughs] I didn't think that's what the movie hinges on, so I'm glad you weren't there to say that. It was definitely...the longest monologue I'd had and the most meaty thing I had done. So I took great heed in preparing for that, and Markees helped a lot, because he was right there crying on cue. So that pushed me. And it was a very special moment to be trusted with. And Chad didn't push or pull, he kept it steady.

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The movie revolves around you and your son, and for it to work we need to buy the chemistry between you two. Who was cast first, you or co-star Markees Christmas?

Markees.

Really?

Mmm-hmm.

I imagine that it's really hard to find a child actor who can pull off the things he pulls off.

The thing was he really wasn't an actor. He was a sponge, and that really helped us, because he does have that attitude of "this is happening? Okay! I'm going to Germany? Okay!" He just's basking in it, and it's great to watch and I think that comes across on screen.

I read an interview with the Duffer Brothers, the guys who did Stranger Things, and they said they had to audition a thousand kids for four parts, because all the kids were too Disney-fied and playing cute for the camera, and it was so difficult to find a kid who seems like a real kid. So you guys got very lucky you found him.

Yeah, no doubt. And the kids are so well prepared. When we did Mr. Robinson, which was an NBC sitcom, each one was so prepared that it was just challenging. Who are we going to give this role?

It's different for an NBC sitcom, of course. You want someone more polished. But for this, did he already know how to rap?

No, I don't think so. All of that stuff, and some of it he was hesitant... Like the scene with the masturbation, and then he had to rap in front of a group of Germans. He just attacked it, man. It was great.

Did you do any acting exercises to establish your chemistry?

People ask that question, but I tell you what, man, we met once, and I had seen his YouTube videos, so we had a mutual respect. But when I met him for the first time I was like, "Okay, little brother right here."

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So how'd you like being on Mr. Robot this summer?

It is intense. They do some intense work over there. But it is so much fun to be a part of. Kind of unbelievable. I watched the first season in two days, and I was like, "Okay, whatever you see for me in this, yes. Let's do it."

So you hadn't seen the show before taking it?

I saw it right before talking with Sam Esmail. And he kind of blew my mind. The only thing I had to take on faith was the script, because I hadn't seen the script, so it was like, "Are you in, or are you out?"

You mentioned Mr. Robinson. What happened with that? Because it was announced in 2013, didn't air until 2015 and it seemed like NBC just kind of...

Burned it off? Yeah, they played all six episodes over three weeks.

Sorry.

Oh, it's all good. And then it got canceled.

Did they just not like the show? Did you get any feedback at all?

I think they just didn't see where it could go.

You worked with [The Office showrunner and Parks and Recreation co-creator] Greg Daniels on it, right?

That was the first incarnation of it. With Greg Daniels we did single camera. They didn't pick it up, but they didn't, like, kill the project. So we were waiting and waiting and waiting, and we got new showrunners and new writers, and Greg left the project, and then we did a multicam version of it, and that's what happened. And we loved it. Some people still come up and say they loved it, some people tweeted that they didn't like it, but I enjoyed it. I enjoyed everybody on there. And I was sorry to see it go, but there is good and bad in every situation. Who knows if I would get to do Mr. Robot if I was on Mr. Robinson?

It's just crazy to me, how NBC used to be the place for smart, cutting-edge comedy, and they used to own Thursday night.

Owned it. Must See TV!

And you were there for that with The Office. And now it seems like they've just thrown up their hands and said "Fine, go watch cable. We don't know what you people want anymore."

[Laughs] It's so true! Yeah, I was glad to be a part of those years. I remember when it was Frasier and Seinfeld and Friends, it was ridiculous. And we followed-up with The Office and 30 Rock, and I forget what the lead in... And it was nice. I was in the warehouse, and I moved my way up. But I wasn't there with the full cast from the beginning, so I was always like, "I'm here, I'm here! It's cool!"

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Plus, it's well known that television is having a problem with diversity. It seems like NBC could have done itself a favor and given the show a chance to grow.

Yeah, I don't know what happens in the brass offices. "I didn't get fired this week? Okay, let's go."

Do you want to take another shot at a sitcom, or are you happy doing movies and guest roles?

I would go back and do some TV. As a matter of fact, we're pitching a TV project. It's fun. And especially with the right situation, 13 episodes, one of those deals. You can do other things, or you can rest or what have you. I enjoy doing movies, but it's all work, it's all good.

I haven't seen Sausage Party yet, but I've heard it's deranged.

It's like This Is the End, but it's a cartoon so we can go farther. It's crazy, and it's so much fun, and I feel bad for the kids who are going to want to see it but can't understand why.

What food item do you play?

I'm Mr. Grits. One of the non-perishables.

You've been working with Seth Rogen for about a decade now, right?

When did Knocked Up come out?

2007.

So next year it will be a decade.

What is it about you two where you work together so well? Are you just naturally on the same page?

I think it's a trust and respect level. You know you can toss the ball to somebody and they'll take it long, you can take it yourself, and you know something good is going to come out of it. Like with This Is the End, there was a scene, we got coverage first, then we went around the table and so much improv happened that Seth had to shoot his coverage again. When you've got that kind of time to play with stuff, you can't help but win.

Were you able to improvise at all on Sausage Party? Because it is a cartoon, so I would assume the voices and mouth movements would have to line-up pretty exactly.

Oh yeah, we messed around. You get the lines, you add things and add your spin on things, and you see where it lands. When you're in the booth, it's way fun, because you can get as big as you want, you can run in place, whatever you need to get you there. And once you say, "Oh, now I see the character" you can go back and record lines.

So you've mentioned that Knocked Up came out in '07, and you got added to The Office...

I was in the first season. I think that '05. I was in the fourth or fifth episode.

You'd been working for a long time before that, but it was about 10 years ago that you got that higher level of recognition.

Yeah, The Office is what I would consider my big break.

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How has it gone since then? Did your career go the way you expected?

I mean, I couldn't be happier, especially with The Office. And I'm happy that I didn't get certain things, because it allowed me to be on The Office, or it allowed me to be on certain things. So the success and the failures have been good. So for me, sometimes I've had to pinch myself. This whole Sundance award for this movie, it was just an honor to go, and then, boom, we got an award for it, so it's just been one thing after another.

Is there anything you didn't get that you were mad about at the time but now you look back and you're thankful?

Not mad, but you know... Let me see, there was a David E. Kelley show that I guess I was kind of up for but didn't get, which would have pulled me away from The Office. There's a bunch of stuff. There's a couple of movie parts that I can't remember. There was always something kind of lurking, because when The Office started, I wasn't a regular. You're a guest star, so they don't really need you. They didn't say that, but I've seen the show—with or without me, it's still funny.

When you're done promoting this movie are you going to take a vacation? It seems like you've been working non-stop for the past few years.

I have some time off. I'll get myself in the gym and get my body right. I'll probably take a vacation at the end of the year. Just because I'll feel better about leaving the country and leaving everything behind, because I'll know I sacrificed my birthday so I can work, and all this other stuff.

Do you just go project to project to project?

It feels that way. But in-between I'll do stand-up in clubs, and I have a band and we do shows, so this past weekend I did stand-up in Kansas City, then I have this press, and then I'll be in Louisville to do some work.

I didn't know you still did stand-up. Really?

Yeah, for sure.

Because a lot of people just use it to get a sitcom and then leave it alone. You don't really see Jamie Foxx out there doing stand-up anymore.

I love it. And especially in this position, you get to touch the people and see them up close.

Would you really rather do stand-up then have a weekend off?

I enjoy it. I mean, I do enjoy my time off, but as I prepare myself, and I know I'll have a six-week run and I'll be on 17 planes… it's just stuff you have to prepare your mind for, but I'm prepared for the long haul. I'm prepared to put in work and energy.

Is it one of those things you have so many opportunities that you worry about saying no, or that if you say no the offers will stop coming in?

"No" is your biggest power in Hollywood, actually. So I don't worry about that. I weigh it. It all helps, especially these interviews. You want to get the word out, as best you can. Nothing is guaranteed.

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